This afternoon King – owners of Candy Crush Saga and 17% of the dictionary – issued a statement regarding the story that they had filed an objection to Stoic’s attempts to trademark “The Banner Saga”. As we pointed out, their actions are hard to perceive as anything other than over-reaching what is necessary when asserting their trademark. Or, in this case, arguably attempting to assert a trademark they don’t actually have. Apparently believing they are the only company allowed to make games with “saga” in the title, King has exercised this by attempting to prevent others studios’ efforts to protect their unique game names with a trademark.
Yet in King’s statement (below), they make it clear that they don’t believe that Stoic is trying to profit from a similar name, and say they do not wish to prevent Stoic from using the name. A claim that seems, well, rather peculiar given the circumstances, and their appearing to say something quite different in their “Opposition”. It’s something Stoic have now told RPS they’re not too pleased about either, stating, “We won’t make a Viking saga without the word Saga, and we don’t appreciate anyone telling us we can’t.”
(more…)